Thread guide



M. J. M HALE THREAD GUIDE Dec. 3, 1935.

Filed Aug. 31, 1934 Madj Patented Dec. 3, 1935 PATENT OFFICE THREAD GUIDE Michael J. McHale, Scranton, Pa.

Application August 31,

10 Claims.

My invention relates to thread guides for winding machines and more particularly to means for attaching a guide eye to a tension arm.

In application, Serial N 0. 708,480, filed January 26, 1934, now Patent No. 1,965,044, issued July 3, 1934, I have disclosed a thread guide fastening means in combination with a faller arm structure, wherein the guide may be easily and quickly replaced without the use of any special tool. The present invention is an improvement over the arrangement disclosed in the above referred to application and relates to an improved thread guide structure of general application with winding machines and various attachments used therewith.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a thread guide fastening means wherein the guide may be easily and quickly replaced without the use of any special tool or instrument. The conventional tension arm used in connection with the faller arm structure may be used with slightmodification, and the thread guide structure is constructed and arranged so that it will not become loose due to vibration or other causes.

An object of my invention is to provide a fastening means for thread guides whereby the guide eye may be readily attached or detached from its supporting arm or bracket.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved locking means for the guide whereby the guide is held in tight engagement with the support.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved thread guide eye adapted to be used in combination with various types of winding machine structures and attachments used therewith.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements, comp-rising my invention, may. be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawing means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawing:

,Figure 1 is a perspective ,viewshowing the im- 1934, Serial No. 742,341 (01. 242-157) proved thread guide structure attached to a faller arm.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a tension arm and the thread guide, showing the relative position of the parts before the guide is mounted.

Fig. 3 is a front view of in Figure 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a horizontal tension arm and a modified form of thread guide showing the relative position of the parts before the guide is mounted upon the tension arm.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a conventional faller arm I adapted to be pivotally mounted at 2 and having a tension arm 3 attached thereto by means of a set screw 4. The free end of the tension arm is formed with a looped portion comprising upper and lower sections 5 and 6 respecthe arrangement shown tively. It will be noted that the upper section 5 is horizontal and terminates in a free end I. The lower section 6 is bent inwardly from a point 8 near the upper end of the wire, forming a contracted portion at the entrance to the loop. The purpose of this arrangement is to provide a spring action between the sections, so that the guide eye will be securely held in the operative position as will be hereinafter more fully 'described.

Mounted upon the looped portion of the tension arm is a guide eye designated generally by numeral 9. The guide eye comprises a body portion l0 formed with a thread receiving opening H andxa longitudinal recess 12 forming a seat for the horizontal section 5. As more clearly shown in Figure 2 the body portion of the guide eye is tapered at the end opposite the thread receiving opening and is formed with grooves I3 and it, either of the grooves forming a seat for the lower section G'when the guide is attached to the tension arm.

In attaching a guide to the tension arm, assuming the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2, the upper section 5 of the tension arm is inserted into the longitudinal recess I2 formed in the body portion of the guide and the bentover portion 8 is moved to the entrance of groove 14. The horizontal section 5 is then pushed forwardly into recess I2, a portion of the lower section 6 seating in the groove I4. The grooves l3 and M are substantially fiat from the entrance to the grooves to a point near the end of the tapered portion of the body of the guide.

When the guide is placed upon the tension wire, v

due to the contracted portion near the entrance to the loop, section is moved upwardly and lower section 6 assumes a substantially horizontal position so that in the final movement of the guide inwardly, the lower section 6 of the loop seats with a snap action to securely hold the guide' in position on the tension arm. Grooves l3 and I4 not only function as a seat for a portion of the lower looped section, but also prevent tilting or rolling of the guide after it is seated on the end of the tension arm.

Referring to Figure 4, I have shown a modified form of guide eye and horizontal support member. In this arrangement, the guide eye, designated generally by numeral 15, is supported on a horizontal tension arm l6 adapted to be attached to the side frame of a winding machine. 7

The tension arm I6 is formed with a double looped portion comprising a lower section II, an upper section l8 and an intermediate section l9. It will be noted that the lower and upper sections I! and I8 are parallel and that the intermediate section I9 is bent inwardly from a point 20 towards the lower section H.

The guide eye l5 used with the horizontal tension arm, comprises a body portion 2| formed with a thread receiving opening 22, a longitudinal recess 23 and grooves 24 and 25 formed in the end of the guide opposite the thread receiving opening. In attaching the guide to the support arm, upper section I8 is inserted into the horizontal recess 23 and the intermediate section I9 is adapted to slide into one of the grooves 24 or 25. Due to the configuration of the looped portion, a spring action is obtained between the sections of the loop, whereby the intermediate section I9 snaps into position in the groove when the guide is pushed onto section l8 with the free end of the section at its innermost position within the groove 23.

It will now be appreciated that I have provided an improved guide eye which may be readily and easily attached to its support member. The guides will fit either form of support disclosed herein and the provision of double grooves in the body portion of the guides facilitates mounting of the eyes, for the reason that it is not necessary that the guides be placed in one certain position before they can be attached to a tension arm. It will be further noted that in this arrangement the eye may be reversed so that the thread receiving opening is either to the right or left of the tension arm.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustrations, as it is apparent that many changes .and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

In the claims:

1. In a thread guide device for winding machines, the combination of a tension wire having a support engaging section and an arm extending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm terminating in a looped portion adapted to receive a guide eye, said looped portion comprising upper and lower substantially parallel sections, the upper section terminating in a free end, a guide eye attached to the looped portion, comprising a base portion and a thread receiving portion, a recess longitudinally of the base portion forming a seat for the free end of the loop and a groove to receive a portion of the lower horizontal section of the loop.

2. In a thread guide device for winding machines, the combination of a tension wire having a central support engaging section and an arm extending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm terminating in a looped portion adapted to receive a guide eye, said looped portion comprising upper and lower substantially parallel sections, a guide eye attached to the looped portion, comprising a tapered body portion having a thread receiving opening, a recess longitudinally of the body forming a seat for the free end of the loop and a groove in the tapered portion of the body to receive a lower. horizontal section of the loop.

3. In a thread guide device for winding machines, the combination of a tension wire having a central support engaging section and an arm extending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm terminating in a looped portion adapted to receive a guide eye, said looped portion comprising upper and lower substantially parallel sections, a guide eye attached to the looped portion, comprising a body portion having a thread receiving opening, the end of the guide opposite the thread receiving opening being tapered, a recess longitudinally of the body forming a seat for the free end of the loop, and two parallel grooves formed in the tapered end 3 of the body portion, either of said grooves being adapted to receive a portion of the lower horizontal section of the loop.

4. In a thread guide device for winding machines, the combination of a tension wire having a central support engaging section and an arm extending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm terminating in a looped portion adapted to receive a guide eye, said looped portion com.-

prising upper and lower sections, the upper sec- 40 tion being horizontal and terminating in a free end, a guide eye attached to the looped portion, comprising a tapered body having a thread receiving opening, a recess longitudinally of the body forming a seat for the free end of the loop and a groove in the tapered portion of the body to receive a portion of the lower section of the loop.

5. In a thread guide device for winding machines, the combination of a tension ing a central support engaging section and an arm extending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm terminating in a looped portion adapted to receive a guide eye, said looped portion comprising upper section being bent inwardly toward said upper section, a guide eye attached to the looped portion comprising a tapered body portion having a thread receiving opening, a recess longitudinally of the body forming a seat for of the loop, and a groove in the tapered portion of the body to receive a portion of the lower section of the loop.

6. In a thread guide device for winding machines, the combination of a tension wire having a central support engaging section and an arm extending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm terminating in a looped portion adapted to receive a guide eye, said looped portion com- 70 the looped portion, comprising a tapered body 75' portion of the 15 wire havand lower sections, the lower the free end having a thread receiving opening, a recess lona portion of the intermediate section of said gitudinally of the body forming a seat for the free -looped portion.

end of the loop and a groove in the tapered por- 9. In a thread guide device for winding mation of the body to receive a portion of the lower chines, the combination of a tension wire having section of the loop. a support engaging section and an arm extending 5 7. In a thread guide device for winding maoutwardly therefrom, a guide eye comprising a chines, the combination of a tension wire having base portion having a recess extending longitua support engaging section and an arm extenddinally thereof and a thread receiving portion, ing outwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm means to attach the guide to the arm comprising terminating in a double looped portion adapted a looped member having upper and lower sec- 1 to receive a guide eye, said looped portion comtions, the upper section terminating in a free end, prising three substantially parallel sections, the said looped member being formed with a conupper section terminating in a free end, a guide tracted portion whereby the guide eye is clamped eye attached to the looped portion comprising a between the sections of the loop when the free base portion and a thread receiving portion, a end of the upper section is seated in the longi- 15 recess longitudinally of the base portion forming tudinal recess in the base portion of the guide.

a seat for the free end of the loop and a groove 10. In a thread guide device for winding mato receive a portion of the intermediate section chines, the combination of a t nsion Wir hav n of said looped portion. a support engaging section and an arm extending 8. In a thread guide device for winding maoutwardly therefrom, the free end of the arm 20 chines, the combination of a tension wire havterminating in a looped member adapted to reing a support engaging section and an arm exceive a guide eye, said looped member compristending outwardly therefrom, the free end of the ing upper and. lower sections formed with a rearm terminating in a double looped portion adaptstricted portion, a guide eye attached to the looped ed to receive a guide eye, said looped portion commember comprising a body portion and a thread 5 prising upper and lower horizontal sections and receiving portion, a recess in the body portion an intermediate section bent inwardly towards forming a seat for the free end of the loop and said lower section, the upper horizontal section a groove in the body to receive a portion of the terminating in a free end, aguide eye attached lower section of the loop whereby the guide eye to the looped portion comprising a base portion is clamped between the sections when the free and a thread receiving portion, a recess longiend of the upper section is seated in the recess tudinally of the base portion forming a seat for in the body of the guide.

the free end of the loop and a groove to receive MICHAEL J. McHALE. 

